Article about new
fractional, small size gold Buffalo coins

It's official:

US mint selling small Gold Buffalo Coins

July 22, 2008

The United States Mint has announced that starting today, they will sell
fractional gold buffalo coins.

New small Buffalo Indian-Head gold coins issued!

Beginning in
2008 the US government will issue gold coins in tenth, fourth, and half
ounce sizes, in addition to the 1 ounce size that has been available for
the past two years. The one ounce
Buffalo gold US
coins were first introduced in 2006 and the American public fell in
love with them.

picture coming soon

Picture of 1 oz. gold buffalo $50 coin

featuring Indian and Buffalo design

Over the past
two years, until now, only the large 1 ounce Buffalo coins have been
available.

With gold
having moved up to close to $1,000 per troy ounce, the high price of a
one ounce bullion coin has eliminating many collectors from adding one
to their coin collection. However, now many collectors will be able to
afford adding the smaller size gold buffalo coins to their collections.

Three New
coin sizes for 2008

Two versions
of the Buffalo coin coins will be on sale buy the US mint during part
of 2008. One type will be the Proof version, specially struck
specimens with a mirror like surface. The other will be a matte
uncirculated bullion version. Each type of coin, proof and bullion
uncirculated, will be minted in four sizes.

Four
fractional sizes of
each 2008 coin will be available:

Coin Size/gold content

Buffalo Denomination

one ounce

$50 Face Value

half ounce

$25 Face Value

fourth ounce

$10 Face Value

tenth ounce

$5 Face Value

What will the
buffalo coins cost?

On everyone's
mind is the question "What can I buy them for?"

The US mint
says they will sell the coins at a premium mark-up over the gold
content, with the proof versions costing more. Proof versions will
sell for more, due to the additional production costs in making proofs. (Experienced
collectors already know, the government mint is in the business to make
money, not just literally, but at a profit to the mint.)

Even when adding the mint's mark-up profit, a very nice
tenth ounce bullion gold buffalo coin should be available for under
$200, and the quarter ounce gold buffalo $10 coins for a little over
$300 each.

Each coin will come in an attractive wooden box with a
certificate of authenticity. Coins will be sold individually and
also as part of a four coin set. Uncirculated coins will have the W
mint mark, indicating that they were made at the US government's West
Point mint facility.

Buffalo gold coins are sometimes called Indian Head
coins. The original design came from the old US Nickels made up
through 1938.

2009 -
update -

US Mint announces no small
size Buffalo gold coins will be minted for 2009.